MovieChat Forums > Annie (1982) Discussion > HATED this movie from Day 1

HATED this movie from Day 1

posted 8 years ago by nycruise-1
6 replies | jump to latest

I saw this during its original release in 1982. My friends and I tried to get into "ET" but no luck, "Annie" was playing next door so of course we thought "why not"?/"may as well".

UGH!!!

The whole movie stinks. The choreography sucked from the very first foot fall of the dancing orphans. It was obvious from the opening sequence that the rest of wouldn't fail to disappoint. I lost it when the whole Warbucks household breaks into song at Annie's arrival. It was obvious the director John Huston had no idea what he was doing, nor any feel for the material. That stupid walk mixed with dance steps that Anne Reinking does...SUPER-UGH! I remember thinking "You went from Bob Fosse to this SH*T?"

The staging the show's signature song - "Tomorrow" - is absolute SH*T! I remember waiting to see it - and then it just fell completely FLAT because it was presented soooooo low-kay, matter-of-factly that it was over before you knew it. (I remember Aileen Quinn saying at the time (after being questioned about why the song was not a blockbuster number in the movie): "Well, Mr. Huston had a different idea of how the song should be done." After finally seeing it onscreen, I remember thinking "No - Aileen Quinn was wrong: Huston had NO idea of how to do the song."

The only thing that makes this film even semi-watchable is Carol Burnett. I remember feeling somewhat assuaged whenever she appeared onscreen, since her role had been highly promoted in the movie's publicity. Even then, however, the director's and writer's ineptness with the material screws Burnett's character over: at one point in the movie, she suddenly - and very inexplicably - switches from being a cold-hearted lush to someone very, very concerned with Annie's welfare. When that happened back in 1982, I remember just wanting the movie to be over (which it pretty much was at that point).

I don't know - have I told you how I really feel about this film?

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

[–] Purple_Cloud_9 8 years ago

I'm going to have to disagree with you. There was nothing I disliked about this movie. I thought the choreography and singing were very well done. I just can't believe Aileen Quinn won a Razzie for this movie! Or that it had only mixed reviews. If you ask me, there is nothing wrong with this movie.

[–] Underdog_73 (770) 7 years ago

You clearly went into it with a negative preconception, so you were never going to like it. It brings back a negative memory, so you'll probably never like it. You wanted to see E.T., and you got stuck seeing Annie. I'm curious if you ever gave it a fair chance. Any time you think about Annie, you remember something negative. Maybe try rating it on its own merits.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2412) 6 years ago

I loved this movie as little girl. Still love watching it.

[–] Underdog_73 (770) 6 years ago

Definitely a great movie. Even more so now, due to the nostalgia.

[–] janelsenor (2048) 6 years ago

It wasn't that bad.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Totally agree with you, this movie was a misfire in every possible way. Everything fell flat, nothing worked, and the director was obviously more interested in aiming the camera up Ann Reinking's skirt than fixing the movie.